CPET signs up new members
9 January 2006The Confederation of Forest Industries (UK) Ltd and environmental group FERN have joined the Central Point of Expertise on Timber's (CPET) reference board.
The board, which provides advice to CPET consultants ProForest, already has the Timber Trade Federation (TTF), WWF UK, ProForest and Defra as members.
The body has now been put on a more formal basis, with terms of reference which clarify its membership, role and mandate, while the Chatham House Rule has been adopted to ensure confidentiality of board discussions.
Board members recently agreed to report the findings of the re-assessment of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) to PEFC by January 20. PEFC will have a week to respond before findings are finalised prior to the next board meeting on February 3.
The board also agreed that CPET should start an annual review of certification schemes' methodology in mid to late February, while ProForest is to draft a revision to guidance on interpretation of criteria, to allow consideration of evidence other than published documents.
The TTF has invited key timber sector representatives to a consultation meeting in London on January 26 to update the industry on CPET's progress.
